Chance Encounters
by Rejected Angel
Summary: OneShot crossover with the 1st Tenchi Muyo OVA. While Ryoko is still working with Kagato, she becomes stranded on a small, backwater planet with virtually no technology. What’s worse, it’s a desert…and a stupid little native brat won’t stop pestering her.


Summary: OneShot crossover with the 1st Tenchi Muyo OVA. While Ryoko is still working with Kagato, she becomes stranded on a small, backwater planet with virtually no technology. What's worse, it's a desert…and a stupid little native brat won't stop pestering her.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi Muyo or Yu-Gi-Oh!.

A/N: An idea that came to me at twelve o'clock last night, and I just had to write it down. I mean, when you think about it, Ryoko and Bakura are actually quite similar, so I thought it would an interesting idea for them to meet.

Chance Encounters

Ryoko gritted her teeth in pure aggravation as she surveyed the seemingly endless rise and fall of golden-yellow sand dunes. Ryo-Ohki lay exhausted in her arms, thoroughly spent from their latest encounter with the Galaxy Police. The usually energetic mammal needed food, and she needed it badly. Of course, it was just Ryoko's luck to crash into a _desert, _on a planet that apparently had no _spaceport. _Cursing her rotten fate, she continued on her way, looking for any sign of _some _kind of civilization.

In truth, it wasn't the scorching sun, itchy sand or lack of sustenance that truly bothered her- she was a demon after all. No, it was simply the dreadful tedium of the whole business that really made her blood boil. Anybody who knew her, friend or foe, would have described the silver haired space-pirate as 'impulsive'. Indeed, Ryoko herself would be the first to admit that patience was a virtue that she sorely lacked. So, by the time that seven hours of her wandering search had gone by, it was wholly unsurprising that the demoness had the distinct and all-prevailing urge to _maim_ somebody _very badly. _

It was after several minutes of fantasizing of said maiming that she became aware that somebody was following her. Happy at the chance to hurt something, she turned around…only to find a little boy dressed in rags, his hair a color not dissimilar to her own. She was disappointed to find that her conscience - Damn it! When the hell had she gotten one of those? - refused to let her harm him.

She mustered her best, most intimidating glare. "Oi, brat! Why the hell are you following me?"

He cocked his head to the side. "You look really _weird_…and lost. I figured you might have somethin' worth stealing." He glanced over at Ryo-Ohki and smirked. "I guess I was wrong."

She snorted in contempt, smirking as well. "Don't be so cocky, kid. You're about two thousand years too early to steal anything from me." It was then that the tanned boy suddenly found his right hand, which had been reaching for the small pack she carried, encased by Ryoko's fist. "And you'd better think twice before trying anything wily with me, brat!" She squeezed his hand for emphasis. "It's like I said before," she stated, releasing the captured appendage, "you're two thousand years too early."

The boy looked down at his slightly red hand in amazement, a sort of euphoric admiration growing in his belly. Looking up, he found that the object of this new feeling had started walking away, and made quickly to follow her. "Hey! Lady!"

She merely turned her eyes to him, clearly irritated. "You again? I thought that I had scared you off."

"Are you _really_ two thousand years old?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Are you a goddess or somethin'?"

"Eh? Goddess?" The question genuinely perplexed her. "What the hell gave you that idea?"

"Well," he replied innocently, "no mortal can possibly be that old. So, you _must_ be a goddess." He looked her up and down. "You definitely _look _like one."

Ryoko cursed her luck for the hundredth time that day. Great. _Just great. _The natives were not only primitive, but short lived as well!

"I assure you, kid, that I am no goddess. In fact," She said evilly, throwing him a feral grin, "I am more of a demon than anything else."

The statement did not have the desired effect at all. Instead of frightening him into leaving her alone, the boy's eyes became even wider with admiration. Damn, this kid was incorrigible!

"Really?"

"Really, really."

"That is so cool!"

"Is that so?"

"Yup!"

"Damn it, what's a kid like you doing all alone in a desert, anyway?"

He blinked at her, obviously not expecting the space-pirate to ask anything like that. "I've been alone for a really long time."

"Eh, how long?"

"Six years."

"How old are you, anyway?"

"Twelve summers."

Well that sure explained a lot. "Where's your family?" She turned her head slightly over to face the little boy. "Dead?"

"Murdered."

She cursed the sympathy that was beginning to blossom in her breast. "…Who did it?"

"The pharaoh."

Ryoko had no idea who this 'pharaoh' person was, but she could see the change in the boy's cheerful countenance almost immediately. Hatred had permeated his gaze, and a dark aura had begun to surround him. It was then that she was suddenly struck by an idea that would hit two birds with one stone. "What's your name, kid?"

It seemed as though the question was completely foreign to him. "My…name?"

"That's right, your name."

The boy hesitated, before saying, "…It's Bakura."

Ryoko's eyes took on an amiable expression that might have been kindness. "I'll tell you what, Bakura." She said reasonably, "You get me food, and I'll teach you something that will help you get revenge against that pharaoh guy."

Bakura's eyes widened with disbelief. "Really?"

"Really, really."

Smiling broadly, he gave a whoop of excitement and sped off to get the food. Ryoko was amazed that the boy could be so trusting, even with the deep-seated hatred that he harbored within his soul. He hadn't even considered the idea that she might just take the food and kill him. But sure enough, not an hour later he arrived with a crude canvas satchel filled to the brim with an immense variety of different foods.

"There," he said, plopping the satchel on the ground with obvious pride, "now you have to hold up your end of the bargain."

"Okay, kid, sit down and close your eyes." He did so. "Now, I want you to think about any time at all that you've sensed somebody was there without seeing them, or…got a tingly feeling down your spine that told you that you were being watched." He nodded slowly. "That tingly feeling is actually your spirit power alerting you of somebody else's spiritual presence. So, I want you to remember those times, and feel that tingly feeling- but don't let it dissipate.

"Okay, now I want you to imagine that feeling converging at one point on your body. It can be your hands, your feet, your forehead- whatever. Just pick the point most comfortable for you." She waited a few minutes to let him concentrate. "Do you feel the concentration of power?" He made a small sound of assent. "Good, now I want you focus a single thought through that concentration of spirit power. I want you to call on a spirit.

"Send out a message, the same one over and over again. Good." She smirked triumphantly. "Now, open your eyes."

Bakura was amazed to find a spirit floating in front of him. Albeit, it was tiny, wispy and wavering; but it was a spirit none-the-less. He turned to Ryoko and grinned, his loss of concentration causing the pathetic little ghosts to dissipate with a small wail. "Wow! That is so cool!" His grin faltered to a look of contemplation. "But what can I do with this power?"

"In high enough numbers, those things can be devastating weapons." Her gaze increased in intensity. "But, if you ever want to summon something more than that little thing, you're gonna have to work on it every day. Your soul isn't innately evil like mine, so spirits don't come to you as willingly when you call on them." She smirked slightly, thinking of the certain red spheres that she had in her possession. "Of course, it doesn't hurt to have some kind of object that focuses and amplifies spirit power. Good luck finding that, though."

Picking up the satchel of food, she turned away from him. "This is goodbye, you little brat. I doubt I'll ever see you again, but it was nice meeting you, I guess."

She began to walk away, but was interrupted by a shout from Bakura. "Hey! Lady!"

"Eh? What is it?"

"…Thanks."

"For what? A deal's a deal. You held up your end and I held up mine." She began to walk again, only to stop about ten meters away to call back, "So long, Bakura!" And with that, she continued on her way, disappearing slowly into the distance.

Bakura continued to sit on the gradually darkening sand, his eyes fixated on a single point on the ground in front of him. Grinning suddenly, he silently thanked the strange woman once again. It was because of her that he was now one step closer to exacting his vengeance against the pharaoh.

It was then that he realized that he still didn't know her name.

* * *

A/N: So, what does everyone think? I just thought it would be a creative way of explaining how it is that Bakura learned to call on the spirits of his village. Anyway, reviews are always appreciated! Thanks for reading. 


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